THE PACIHC OCEAN. 463 



Should they have made, or intend to make, any fettlement 1780. 



J January. 



in thofe countries, it is certainly well fituated for that pur- 1 ^-— * 



pofe, or for annoying the trade of their enemies, in cafe of 

 war. 



Our fportfmen were very unfuccefsful in their purfuit 

 of the feathered game, with which the woods are well 

 flocked. One of our gentlemen had the good fortune to 

 fhoot a wild hen; and all the fhooting parties agreed that 

 they heard the crowing of the cocks on every fide, which 

 they defcribed to be like that of our common cock, but 

 fhriller; that they faw feveral of them on the wing, but 

 that they were exceedingly fhy. The hen that was fhot was 

 of a fpeckled colour, and of the fame fhape, though not 

 quite fo large, as a full grown pullet of this country. Mon- 

 fieur Sonnerat has entered into a long difTertation, to prove 

 that he was the firft perfon who determined the country to 

 which this mod beautiful and ufeful bird belongs, and de- 

 nies that Dampier met with it here. 



t 



The land in the neighbourhood of the harbour is a conti- 

 nued high hill, richly adorned with a variety of fine tall 

 trees, from the fummit to the water's edge. Among others, 

 we obferved what Dampier calls the tar-tree* ; but obferved 

 none that were tapped, in the manner he describes. 



The inhabitants, who are fugitives from Cambodia and 

 Cochin China, are not numerous. They are of a fliort fea- 

 ture, and very fwarthy, and of a weak and unhealthy 

 afpect ; but, as far as we could judge, of a gentle difpofition. 



We remained here till the 28th of January; and, at tak- Friday 28. 

 ing leave of the Mandarin, Captain Gore, at his own requeft, 



* Dampier, Vol. i. p. ^go. 



gave 



